Crotalaria. | LEGUMINOSZ (Harv.) 39 
Only one species known, viz., ” 
E. serpens (H. § 2./ En. No. 1246). Benth. Lond. Journ. 2. p. 470. 
Crotalaria serpens, E. Mey.! Lin. 7. p. 153. Ononis hirsuta, Thunb. ! Fl. 
Cap. p. 584. Microtropis hirsuta, E. Mey.! Comm. p. 65. 
Has. Sandy plains, &c., Cape Flats, near Salt River ; also in Zwartland and at 
Saldanha Bay, #.§ Z./ Drege, Thunberg ! (Herb. Th., Bth., Hk., Sd.) 
A small prostrate suffruticose plant, with filiform underground stems, at intervals 
throwing up leafy branches ; the places below the soil glabrous, those above densely 
clothed with long, sub-ferruginous hairs. Overground branches 1-2-3 inches long, 
ascending, imbricated with leaves. Leaves lanceolate, sessile, about 4 inch long, 
and 1-11 lines wide, hispid on both sides, but especially on the under: the hairs 
appressed. Peduncles terminal, patently hairy, supporting an oblong, dense, sub- 
‘capitate spike of small, purplish flowers, Calyx very hairy ; its 4 upper segments 
semi-lanceolate, lowest narrow subulate. Vexillum broader than long, emarginate, 
about as long as its claw ; alz and carina subtruncate. Pod short and hairy. 
XIL CROTALARIA, Linn. 
section “ Oxydium,” approach it in the form of corolla ; but differ by their umbel- 
turgid, the carina is not sharp. The name is derived from xpotadoy, a castanet ; 
because the seeds rattle in the inflated pods, when shaken. 
ANALYSIS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN SPECIES. 
1, Simplicifoliz. Leaves simple, sessile. (Sp. 1-2.) 
Leaves narrow-oblong or sub-lanceolate ; pedicels shorter 
Leaves linear-subulate or setaceous ; pedicels longer than 
the calyx pe ee (2) spartioides. 
2. Oliganthe. Leaves digitately 3-foliolate. Peduncles opposite the leaves (or 
rarely terminal), 1-2 flowered, or distantly 2-6-8 flowered. (Sp. 3-12.) 
Diffuse or prostrate herbs or suffrutices : 
Leaflets narrow-lanceolate or subulate : 
Stipules minute ; leaflets linear-subulate, downy on : 
the lower @urfac® s..: oe cre net ves see oe 9) angustissima. 
Stipules linear-lanceolate ; leaflets lanceolate, silky (10) Ecklonis. 
Leaflets obovate or ovato-lanceolate : 
Dwarf ; thinly silky or glabrescent : 
Leaflets silky-canescent on both surfaces ; stem 
GaN ian See ieee Nag SES ove (3) sparsifiora. 
Leaflets appressedly pubescent on the wnder 
side ; stem glabrescent : 
Peduncles 2-3 inches long, ! rarely Shs 
2-flowered ©... «-- (4) humilis. = 7 
Peduncles 3-5 inches long age (5) effusa. 
Dwarf ; densely and softly silky- ious; pedumios 225 a 
5 ga Moweted cc Gs. shy Gh ge ave (6) mollis. 2 
